


with a little help

by svpportive



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Humor, Kinda?, M/M, No War!, cause can u imagine me writing anything else, peter gets some non-embarrassing speaking roles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-25 06:16:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17116013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/svpportive/pseuds/svpportive
Summary: Just bantering and exchanging some gossip, your usual Sunday night in December with the gang.





	with a little help

**Author's Note:**

> hello! I know I say this every time but truly,, this might be the most self-indulgent thing I’ve written, and I mean it.
> 
> few things first: 1) this is unbeta’d, as per usual, because I wouldn’t dream of putting anyone through the task of muddling through whatever I put in a google doc at 2am. I’ll leave that for you to muddle through instead. 2) im not sure what time period this is in, but it isn’t the late ‘70s, nor is it present day. and 3) I have no idea how the _Fuck_ gobstones is supposed to work and im lazy. happy holidays, I hope this fic finds you well. enjoy!

****

“They’re my signature I know, but I’m starting to think they make my face look rather square. Because I do have a square face and it’s not exactly something I’m ashamed about but you know, round glasses would do better to make it less noticeable. Plus I’ve been looking for a good Christmas present for myself.”

“Uh huh.” Peter replies, not looking up from the puzzle section of the _Prophet_.

“Darling?” Lily smiles from where she and Sirius are engaged in a rather serious match of Gobstones. At once point James was playing as well, but his pieces now lay forgotten.

“Yes, dear?” James is sitting on the couch, his feet nestled under Peter’s for warmth, because Sirius ‘ran a little hot’, and as such treated them with below zero temperatures whenever they were over at his flat.

“You’ve been waxing poetic about your glasses for five minutes now, and I’d rather you be helping me beat your best mate instead.”

“Oi,” said best mate pipes up from the floor, where he’s guarding the dice like they protect the universe’s secrets, “that’s cheating and if you’re willing to resort to that type of behavior I’d rather you just forfeit the game.”

“Settle down, children.” Remus puts a delicate balance of multiple mugs down on the coffee table, before sitting down in the middle of the couch, squarely on top of Peter’s right thigh and James’ feet, and just missing Lily’s head with his knee.

Sirius scoffs. “As if you have any right to call us children. When Mary beat you at chess last week you threatened to burn her chessboard and eat her firstborn.”

“You’re not much better, you accused me of cheating every time I’d beat you at Flitwuck’s pop quizzes. Which, as we all well know, was every single time.”

“That’s sad, Moony, it really is, that you’re having to go all the way back to fifth year for material. Likely because I have an almost saint-like disposition when it comes to competition.”

Remus voice rises to indignant quite quickly, James soon joining the three of them cause he could never resist some good shouting, until Peter yells, “Children! Can’t we just pick a new activity?”

Lily throws down her cards. “What would you suggest, Peter.”

Peter turned slightly more red, as his coloring was always some form of pinkish anyways. “I don’t know, but I’ve just realized I don’t understand how sudoku works so I’m honestly open to anything.”

“We should use Sirius’ new veletision!” James exclaims, and Lily’s correction of his term is buried under everyone else’s agreement.

“Er, slight problem there.” Sirius says, “I don’t know how to get things to show up on it just yet.”

“Well probably cause you were more preoccupied with the idea of being able to spy on people and spend more Muggle money.” Remus says.

Sirius squawks at his accusation, but doesn’t deny it. “It’s not my fault! I like the old bat on all the parchment they use. She looks like she once threw a Stinging Hex at me in another life.”

James is the first to roll his eyes and steamroll over the non-mention of Sirius’ family. “So what, no film?”

Lily boos, and before long both James and Peter join in.

“There’s a video store a block away, you know. I’d be willing to go out and get something if someone were to come with me?”

Remus stands up and stretches his back, then looks down and is met with matching blank looks of lethargy and reluctance.

Sirius groans. “ _Mooonyyy_. You ask me this, knowing that I’ve already melted partway into the carpet?”

James pulls his legs from underneath Peter and gets to his feet, patting Remus on the back and following him out the living room. “I’ll come and brave the cold weather with you, brother.”

“Thank you, Prongs. Have I ever told you you’re my favorite other Marauder?”

“You have not, but it’s alright, I sensed- _ow!_ ”

Lily high-fives Sirius with the hand she’d just thrown the dice with, that’d hit James in the head as he was putting on his coat.

They’re both almost out the door before Remus calls from the hallway, “Bye, love you guys!”

“Love you too.” The three of them all call back, returning to their games and puzzles.

-

It’s snowing when they make it out of Sirius’ building, and despite the chill Remus takes the time to appreciate how it looks falling in the city, blanketing the unsavory bits to make everything purer, and turning the air sharper.

“So Remus,” James begins, as they shuffle down the street, and that meant trouble.

Any time James called them anything other than the codenames they’d made up in fifth year, Remus knew to be suspicious. In his experience, it either meant an imminent prank that would lead to detention, or a surprise heart-to-heart that brought out just how much of a mother hen he was.

Seeing as they were now out of school, all signs pointed to it being the latter.

“Yes, James?”

“Have you noticed, hmm I don’t know, how _scrumptious_ Sirius’ eyes were looking just now?”

Remus eyes him. “So your bet was for before Christmas then?”

James breaks immediately. How this man lied as much as he did to their professors was beyond him. He sighs, “Yes. My previous one was for just after his birthday, and I swear Moony, I’m not planning on giving Meadowes another sickle.”

Remus just shakes his head. “Who even describes eyes as _scrumptious_ anyways? What am I going to do, eat them?”

James shrugs, “I don’t know, it worked on Lily.”

“It did not work on Lily, it’s the reason she didn’t bash your brains in actuality - she thought you didn’t have any.”

“Oh very funny, Lupin. At least we got together, instead of whatever the hell you and Pads are doing.”

“I resent that implication,” Remus pushes the door to the store and holds it open for James, “we are not doing _anything_. We’re just friends.”

James snorts, and hands him a movie from the first shelf without reading the back. “Oh, just friends? Friends who spend unhealthy amounts of time together and live out of each other’s pockets? And that’s coming from me, someone who’s seen the both of you naked. Multiple times.”

The shop owner stares openly at James, who’s never had any sort of volume control, and all Remus can do is smile politely and push them down a further aisle. Ah, romantic comedies. And a good selection too.

The stares hadn’t deterred James. “I mean, you unofficially live together.”

That gets Remus. “We do not!” He goes back to scouring the shelf.

“When’s the last time you went home then?”

“This morning, actually.” Remus looks away. “I needed a change of clothes.”

“Exactly my point! Just make it official, plant one on him! Merlin knows the two of you have been waiting for it for years.”

“Keep your voice down, would you?” Is all Remus can reply with, as he picks the first title he sees.

James does make an effort to lower his voice, though his eyes have a gentler look to them. “What are you afraid of, Remus? He loves you too.”

Remus looks down at the films he’s holding, one of which is a drama about a group of young friends torn apart by some kind of war much bigger than them. The other one promises a quirky and quick brunette who falls unluckily in love with some heartthrob with a little help from her wacky set of friends.

He’s avoiding the question, and James knows it, nudging him. “I know that trust me, I just. I don’t want everything we have to fall away cause I chose to add some frankly unnecessary ingredients. It’s for the best. I’d be fine just being someone he comes home to, you know?”

“And I’m saying you could be more, if you stopped looking at it as an _I_ issue.” James sighs, “But it’s up to you. Now let’s hurry up and pick a movie. I know how emotions make you itchy.”

Remus rolls his eyes but follows him, putting the war drama back on the shelf when he isn’t looking.

-

“We should probably start figuring out how to work your telly now, or we’ll never get to the film when they get back.”

Sirius puts down his cards but narrows his eyes, “You’re just saying that cause you’re losing this round.”

“Am not,” Lily says, retying her hair up in a ponytail. Evidently she was growing it out again, which is always irritating when you first start. “I just needed a break before I plunder more money from your depths, Black.”

“Oh _plunder_ , that could be another word for find right?”

Lily frowns, “I don’t know Pete, how many letters do you need?”

“Eight.”

“Oh, then plunder is one short.”

“Bugger.”

“So, the BCR?” Sirius asks, pointing to the box below the veletision.

“It’s V not B, but you’re right. You wouldn’t happen to still have the instructions manual, would you?”

Sirius gives her a blank look.

“Thought not. Well. It shouldn’t be that difficult to figure out.”

Ten minutes later, they’re still bent behind the television, fiddling with the different wires and holes back there.

“You would think it’d be as straightforward as red goes into red wouldn’t you? I mean Muggles do this.”

Lily rolls her eyes. “I think we got it this time, come on around.”

Sirius shuffles over to her, but is startled off his knees when Peter all of a sudden shouts, “Discover!”

“What?” He and Lily both ask.

Peter stands up and drops the newspaper on the table. “The crossword! The eight letter word was _discover_.”

“Where’re you going, then?”

Peter had gotten up, and is now raiding the closet for his coat. “Oh, I figured I’d leave on a high note, you know? Plus it’s getting kinda late, and the snow will cause traffic at the Floo point. Tell the others for me, will you? Love you, see you.”

“Okay? Bye, love you Pete.”

“Love ya, Wormy!”

And with that he leaves.

“Huh,” Sirius says, “what a strange rat of a boy. At least it’s snowing, Remus will love that.”

Lily puts down the wires she’s holding and any semblance of trying to work the VCR. It was almost like she was waiting for the two of them to be left alone. “I’ve got three questions for you, Black.”

Sirius raises an eyebrow. It almost doesn’t look practiced. “Lay them on me, Evans.”

“One, when are you going to get a job that’s not moping and spending money? Two, have you told Remus you’re in love with him yet, and Three, have you seen my purple scarf I could swear I left it here.”

He doesn’t say anything at first. “Well as you know, my plan A was to be an Auror with James so I don’t know what to do now-“

“You could still work in the MLE! I know you hate the idea of a desk job, Sirius, but it’d be great for building experience and showing them-“

Sirius begins slowly stacking the Gobstones pieces on top of each other. “That I’m not as much of a brash and chaotic influence as they said I was? And I’d get to work with you? I’ve heard your pitch before, Evans, and I’m still considering it.”

“And?” Lily’s frowning, cause its not often that she feels the need to pry, and even less often that her attempts don’t work out.

“The truth is I don’t know if working in law enforcement is what I want at all, now that following James isn’t exactly an option. I might go off and do something different. Work for Zonko’s or something. Truly do the Black legacy justice.” He sborts derisively, and pushes the stack of pieces down before starting over again.

“As for your second and third questions, I have told him. Oh and I’ve got your scarf.”

“What when? Do you remember the date?”

Sirius’ eyes narrow again, and Lily’s mouth conveniently snaps shut.

“About a month ago, when he was walking me back from the pub with you lot, cause James made us play Never Havs I Ever again to get me sloshed. It slipped out because he looked quite dashing under the streetlights outside my flat.”

Lily nods for him to keep going, but he just looks down at the stack he’s remade, his nose somehow still stuck up in indifference. “And then that was pretty much that. We’ve moved past it.”

“What? He probably thought you didn’t mean it though!”

Sirius shakes his head, “No he knew I meant it.”

“So what now?”

“Well, you’re most likely not going to see your scarf again.”

“No you toerag, with Remus. When are you going to work this out? Cause I don’t think my last bet for mid-November will hold up with Dorcas.”

Sirius snaps his fingers. “Oh I knew it. There was a while that we- _I_ suspected McKinnon was running the thing but I knew it could only be Meadowes, that little-“

Lily clears her throat. Sirius rolls his eyes.

“There’s nothing to say. He knows how I feel, I’m pretty sure I know how he feels, and that’s that. Why complicate it with words and feelings? It’ll just leave him itchy and me feeling awkward and no one wants that.”

“Alright, I’ll drop it. But if you ever consider telling him for real, pick before Christmas would you? It’d make James’ year.”

Sirius grins, and it truly meets his eyes for the first time since Lily started grilling him, “Now I’ve got more reason to put it off.”

-

They’ve got the telly mostly working, surprisingly enough, when the other two get back, tracking the wetness from outside into Sirius’ living room.

“Where’d Wormtail go?” Is the first thing James asks, dropping onto the couch and finding no place to tuck his feet into.

“Left after making a triumphant discovery in the crossword.”

“Huh.”

Lily gets up and follows Remus into the kitchen, where he’s searching for the popcorn. He’s about to yell for Sirius, his head is almost fully inside the cupboard, when she taps his shoulder, and it startles him into hitting his head.

“Merlin, Lily, you move fast for someone in your state. Where the hell did you come from?”

“He told you he was _in love with you_?” Lily says in a harsh whisper that isn’t as much of a question as it is an accusation.

Remus looks over her shoulder. James and Sirius were locked in a debate about… something. He can’t really tell from here, but they might just have returned to the topic of James’ glasses.

“Yes, and?” He replies in the same hushed whisper nevertheless.

Lily gawks at him. “And you didn’t tell him the next day that you were in love with him? Too?”

Sirius saves him from having to answer. “Will the both of you get in here so we can start the film? Or will I have to break Prongs’ _signature square_ glasses myself?”

The movie is short, but between the numerous times Lily has to get up to use the bathroom, James’ comments spoken over pertinent dialogue, and Sirius absolutely _hating_ the romantic lead, it ends up taking longer than it should. By the time the credits roll, Remus very much regrets being the one to pick the movie.

It’s still only about 11pm by the time the Potters make their exit, James and Sirius roughhousing at the doorway like they haven’t been out of school for a significant amount of time now.

“So?” Lily raises her eyebrows at Remus, as they watch serenely at Sirius pulling James’ hair in what they call brotherly banter but looks slightly painful.

Remus smiles and helps her into her cloak. “Not a chance.”

“Goodbye, love you both!” James smiles once he’s free from Sirius’ grasp, and they respond in kind, before the door shuts behind them.

The second it does, Sirius steps closer into Remus, and he lifts his arm to wrap around him.

“Next time, I think we should get mistletoe and just up and kiss in front of them, only to deny that the other person felt anything. Blame it on tradition and all that. Really make them squirm.”

Remus smiles at him, “You’ve got a very devious mind, you know that?”

Sirius grins in that delightful way where it’s crooked slightly to the left. Remus’ matching smile grows even dopier. “I know. And?”

“And,” he says, kissing the top of his boyfriend’s head, “I love you.”

Sirius laces their fingers together and tugs them both away from the doorway. “Funnily enough, I knew that too.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> if this were a sitcom, please indulge me in picturing the camera slowly tilting away from their joined hands only to rest on a purple scarf sitting unnoticed and in plain view on the kitchen table. thank you.  
> some other easter eggs of sorts: the two movies at the store are based on the marauders (which makes it a joke when sirius hates the romantic lead, that’s him!), lilys pregnant nd really wants to stop losing money to dorcas as well, and finally, peters the only one who Knows and as such has agreed to place a bet for new years and splitting the winnings w r/s
> 
> yes, the title is as in the beatles song. and as always, im lupinblacks on tumblr, so come say hi if u liked this and if u didnt u can still come say hi i guess


End file.
